scrb11, the only place anyone mentioned to avoid was a market just outside of Oaxaca (don’t recall the name), but not the main markets in the city. Otherwise, there wasn’t any advice to avoid places.

Love this TR! Great to reread as I begin to plan our time in Oaxaca. Thanks for taking the time to write it and as always wonderful photos.

Wonderful photos!

These are wonderful photos, Progol -- some of the best I've ever seen on Flickr!

Thank you!

Oh, boy..how did I miss this great, great report?!

Oaxaca is one of the few cities in Mexico/Central America that I could return to over and over again and stay almost indefinitely. (Merida is another but it's so HOT!). It's almost the perfect city or a traveler..so easy to get around, such kind people...great placet to stay and easy for little $$$..

I think the market they advised you to be carefu at must have been the big MERCADO DE ABASTOS at the edge..but I've felt very safe there, and everywhere else..

I ad one good dinner at ORIGEN and when we went a second time, it was pretty poor.

Having spent a month in Oaxaca in 2016 & again in 2017, I just returned from a 5 month stay. I regret to inform you that the city has not been exempt from skyrocketing prices. Lots of factors at play, like everywhere, but it’s no longer the bargain it was. The exchange rate accounts for about 15% of the increase but I think Oaxaca’s been well & truly discovered leading to pressure on prices for everything we use. And general world-wide inflation. An architect friend who does building projects in Centro says real estate prices now rival those in NYC.

Oh, my..rivaling NYC? WOW!!!

So where to next, then--which other medium-sized Mexican city would offer good walkability, great food in all categories, possible day trips outside the center?? Two that come to mind are Merida and San Miguel de Allende, but there must be others (??).
Morelia was lovely for a few days, with good day trips. Guanajuato sounds dauntingly hilly.... San Cristobal never did "it" for me but I've not been there in decades.....

San Miguel is pretty near perfect as far as factors I've mentioned, but the trouble is that everyone knows that by now. Hotel prices are in the stratosphere (I'm talking way over $1,000US at the Rosewood,) and the really great-looking apartments seem to be booked out a year in advance.

Something San Miguel has in abundance are good restaurants. It wouldn't be a stretch to suggest it has more restaurants than any other town its size in the entire country. As far as day trips from sma, there are a number of easy day trips doable from the city. Dolores, Guanajuato, Leon, Pozos, Queretaro, Bernal, Atotonilco & the nearby hot springs, Comonfort, Celaya, San Jose iturbide, even San Luis Potosi about 2 plus hours. Here's a trip report I did on a few less traveled day trips I did post pandemic.
San Miguel De Allende day trips
As far as hotels go, of course the Rosewood is a premier property and probably the most expensive hotel in town. When we lived in Queretaro and would visit sma for a night, our favorite hotel was the Hacienda Monteverde, in centro. We were paying like $40/night midweek a few years ago, but of course rates have gone up. But you can still get it for about $55 depending on the site, time of year, or midweek or weekend.
https://haciendamonteverde.com/
Apartments are a crap shoot, so much can vary according to the colonia & season, with centro being the most popular. But bargains can be had if you know where to look. Winter is popular with snowbirds, summers popular with Texans or other areas where it's hot in the summer.
This would be in a good, safe location. Seems priced OK for November (test dates)
https://www.airbnb.com/l/nQITp5Hg
All that said, this theme could certainly use its own thread.